Means for compressing and removing snow.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

guuewfoc PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Unueufoz attoumig No. 852,883. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

H. S. PARQUHAR. MEANS FOR GOMPRESSING AND REMOVING SNOW.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14. 1905.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

uuantoz PATENTED MAY '7, 1907.

H. S. PARQUHAR. MEANS FOR GOMPRESSING AND REMOVING SNOW.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

NITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE. HENRY s. FARQUHAR, ofiilififi DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ME A NS -i=OR OOMP\RESSI NG AND REMOVING SNOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed August 14, 1906. Serial No. 274,168.

I To all whom itma/y concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. Fanqprnn, a citizen of the United States, res1d1ng at Washington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented certain new and useful Im- United States, granted to me October 8,

1901, No. 684,052, and in which is involved the 'eneric principle of subjecting the snow whic has been gathered by the machine, to

separated into sections of convenient length for handling.

panying drawings in which,

the action of compression screws whereby the snow is condensed and pressedinto a continuous solid mass and forced out of the compression chamber and then broken or Fora more full andcom lete understanding of the construction an operation of the said machine; reference is specifically made to the Letters Patent hereinbefore recited.

My present invention has for its object to not only simplify-the construction of ma chines of the type referred to, but to rendermore certain and efiective the action of the compression screws. My vention consists in, the features of construction and arrangementhereinafter and in detail. described and claimed. In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may know how to make and use my improved machine and fully appreciate all of its advantages,l will proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same referring by numerals to the accom- Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved apparatus mounted upon wheels "adapted to convey it from one locality to another, and provided with means for automatically supplying the machine with snow to be operated upon. Fig. '2 isv a longitudinal vertical section through one of the compression chambers taken on the line a/-b of Fi 3, and showing the compression screw t erein in elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taker 1 v on the line cd of Fig. 5 with the two compression screws and the idler or stripper screw, all in plan. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 43- of Fig. 3, with the screws removed, the circular broken lines indicating the lan of the peripheral limits of the screws w en in osition. Fig. 5 is an end view of the double or twin compression chambers looking from the left hand of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views in section, showing modifications of the resistance lugs used in connection with the compression chambers.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The machine consists generally of the two snow compression chambers; an engine; two compressor screws located within the compression chambers; and an idler or. stripper screw, all suitably geared together at the forward ends and operated by a worm gear driven through suitable connection with the engine; and an inclined scoop which is designed as a means for forcing the snow from the surface of the thoroughfare into the hopper of the machine when it may be desired to accomplish this result by propelling the machine in a forward direction. The machine thus constituted is either mounted upon a frame composed of beams mounted upon wheels or the axles of the wheels may be connected directly with the stationary parts and suitable means, such as described in my Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to, are em-- ployed for utilizing the power of the en ine or moving the apparatus along the t oroughfare either continuously as would be the case when it is used to automatically sup ly the snow to the hopper, or from one loca ity toanother when the snow is supplied to the hopper by hand as will be hereinafter referred to. p

1 of the drawings is intended to illustrate these general features of construction and the otherfi ures are designed to illustrate the specific details of -construetion of the several parts of the machine which constitute the important features of my invention and therefore attention is especially directed to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Referring first to F1 1, the machine is mounted upon a suitabFe frame composed of beams 1 or as heretofore stated the axles of the wheels 22 may be connected directly to the stationary parts of the machine.

3 is an engine boiler and furnace of any suitable construction mounted upon the machine over the compression chambers 4, and at the rear of the snow hopper 5.

Power is applied to the compression screws throu h the medium of a suitable belt or sprocket chain 6, a worm gear 7 and gears 8, 9, 1O hereinafter more specifically referred to.

11 is an inclined scoop extending from the top of the open hopper 5, and terminating at a point in advance of the front wheels of the machine and in such relation to the road bed that the forward movement' of themachine will cause the snow to be forced up the incline bottom of the scoop and deposited in the hopper. In rear of the compression chambers is secured a fixed and ri id inc-line 12 designed and operating to eflect the rearwardly movin blocks of compressed snow out of a d bt 'ne and to cause them to be automaticsilly broken off into convenient len ths for handlin and forced backward an off of the mac line by the succeeding blocks. I have shown "this inc ine 12 arranged to lift the rear end of the compressed body of snow, but I may arrange the breaking device in the manner shown in the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to, and so that the breaking pressure will be exerted in a downward direction.

13 is a casin preferably of sheet iron which envelops t e machine in such manner as to produce a surrounding jacket space into which the exhaust steam from the engine is conveyed by a ipe 14 leading from the engine, in order t at the compression chambers and the screws located therein may be kept at a temperature slightly above the freezing point and to prevent breakage which might otherwise take place.

Having now described in general the principal parts of the machine as illustrated'in Fig. 1 of the drawing, I will proceed to describe more in detail the particular construction of the several parts, attention being directed to Fi s. 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are upon enlarged sca e.

The compression chambers 4 are made of cast iron and are of hexagonal form in crosssection as clearl shown at Figs. 4 and 5, and are formed with exterior flanges 15 and 16 and when they are mounted upon a frame such as 1 heretofore referred to, the flanges 15 are bolted to angle irons 17, which latter are bolted to the frame as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward anges 16 of the compression chambers are bolted to corres onding flanges 18 surrounding the rear en of a. hexagonal casting 19 which is formed interiorly for a portion of its length with a series of curved projections 20 which constitute bearings for, the peripheries of the rear ends of the two compression screws 21. This casting 19 also serves as a part of the compression chambers, and it in turn is connected by flange 22 to similar flanges 23 upon the hopper casting 5, the front end of which is connected to the frame 1 by angle irons 24 similar to the angle irons 17 at the rear of the compression chambers 4. The shafts of the compression screws 21 are suitably journaled in the front ,of the hopper casting 5 and "are provided with ring col ars or shoulders 25 on the inside of the casting 5 to receive the longitudinal forward thrust of the screws.

26 is an idler or stripping screw mounted in a plane below the axes of the compression screws 21, the bottoms of the casting l9 and the hop er casting 5 being extended downwardly or this purpose as shown at Fig. 4 and the casting 19 is formed with splder arms 27 and a central hub 28 which constitutes a bearin forthe rear end of the shaft or axis of the idler 26 as best seen in Fig. 4. The forwardend of this idler screw is journaled in the front of the hopper casting 5 in the same manner as the two compression screws 21 as best shown in Fig. 3. V

The compression screws and the idler or stripper screw are provided with gears .8, 9,

and 10 heretofore referred to, which mesh as clearly shown at Fig. 3, and the extreme end of the idler or stripper screw is provided with a gear 29, which meshes with the driving worm gear 7, and the three screws are thus caused to rotate in an obvious manner.

30 are resistance lugs for retarding the rearward movement of the snow, and to thusv secure the proper compression of the same, while at the same time permitting the snow when thoroughly compressed to overcome such resistance and to be forced out of the machine and against the automatic breaker 12. These resistance lugs perform their function in substantially the same manner as the resistance lugs shown and described in c my Letters Patent her'einbefore referred to,

but vary in details of construction therefrom,

and I will proceed to describe the improved form. They are T shaped at their outer ends and formed with a central well surrounding a stem 31, which may be integral with the lug, or secured. in any suitable manner to the same. I

32 is a flat bar which passes over the end of the stem 31 and two threaded posts 33 projecting from the lug casting or holder 34 within which the lugs are adapted to reciprocate.

Within the well of the lug and surrounding the stem thereof is a s iral sprin 35 which is confined between the bar 32 am? the bottom 36 upon the threaded posts 33 to increase or diminish theresisting effect of the lugs.

The front portion of the lugs which project within the compression chamber may be beveled as shown in Fig. 3, or they maybe arranged at an angle to the axis of the comof the well and-the tension of which may be adjusted in an obvious manner by wing nuts lugs pression chamber as illustrated at Fig.'6 in which case the terminal end of the lug will be inclined as shown, or as shown at Fig. 7 the may be of hammer shape and pivoted or hinged at 37 within a recess in the outer surface of the compression chamber casting so that the beveled end will roject into the chamber and be yieldingly eld by fiat leaf springs 38 having one end secured in place by a screw bolt 39 with the lugs arranged in either. case as described, they according to the tension of the holding springs offer in a corresponding degree greater or less resistance to the snow to secure greater or less density before lugs is overcome. These lugs are located in the hexagonal faces of each of the compression chambers and the lugs of both chambers may all be in the same plane or offset rela= tively as shown at Fig. 3. I

The castings 5 and 19 constituting a part of the general casin are carried downward and at an angle as c earl shown at Fig. 4 to provide space for the id er or stripper screw 26, and this space constitutes a drainage through which the water eliminated from the snow flows and from which it passes to the thoroughfare out of the rear end as indicated by the curved broken lines shown in Fig. 1. The water eliminated from the snow in the compression chamber 4 is free to flow from either end thereof in an obvious manner.

Having described the construction of. my improved machine I will now describe the o eration of the same and in doing so will exp ain the im ortance and advantages of the presence of t e idler or stripping screw in its relation with the two compression screws.

As I-have heretofore explained, when the machine a is automatically supplied with snow by propelling it against t e same and causing it to move up the inclined scoop and into the hopper, or when transported from one locality to another and the snow is shoveled by hand into the hopper and the screws are set in motion by the engine, the snow within the hopper is moved by the compression screws 21 rearward through the cen-. tral casting 19 forcing it into the compression chambers 4 and against the resistance lugs 30 which arrest the rearward movement of the snow and cause the mass to be comressed by the accumulation of snow forced into the compression chambers by the screws 21 until the density of the mass is such that the pressure exerted by the screws will cause the same to overcome the resistance of the lugs, which lowinglongitudinal grooves or channels in t e compressed mass permits the same to move rearward against the breaker 12, which deflecting the compressed mass out of its path causes the same to be successively broken into lengths dependent upon the location and inclination of the breaker 12. In

the resistance offered by said this general operation my present machine 0 erates in substantially the same manner as t at shown and described in my patent here in referred to, but I have found from practical experience that when it is desired to compress the snow to a high'degree the resistance offered to the compression action of the screws has a tendency to cause the snow within the -convolut1ons of the screws to revolve with said screws, and-not travel longitudinally, which is of course necessary tosecure its compression. To overcome this tendency I have in my present machine rovided the idler or strlppin screw 26 whic meshing as shown with bot of the compression screws 21, and rotating in a directlon opposite to the rotation of these compressionscrews, strips the snow from the latter and prevents its rotation therewith, and consequ'entlyinsures its longitudinal mdvement rearward and into the compression chambers 4, where it is necessarily subjected to comlete and full compression. This is hi lily lmportant in the treatment of snow un er certain conditions, and I desire it to be understood'that th1s 1s a generic feature of invention in my improved machine.

The casing or steam jacket 13, which surrounds the machine rests upon the flanges by which the-sections are connected, and conseuently a steam space is provided between t e jacket and the machine into which'the exhaust steam from the engine may freely circulate, and which as heretofore stated keeps the working parts of the machine at a. tem iprature above freezing to prevent bi'ea age, and also serves to put the snow into condition for ready compression.

While my lmproved machine is especially adapted for the removal of snow from the thoroughfares, it will be understoodthat it may also be used successfully for compress-' ing snow into blocks of suitable form which may be used in lieu of ice for refrigerating purposes.

VVhile' I have shown in the drawings and described a construction involving twin compression chambers and twin compression screws with the idler or stripping screw arranged in a plane below the com ression screws and meshing therewith, it wi 1 be understood that a single compression chamber and a single compression screw may be used with the idler or stripping screw, or that a multiple of' the compression chamber and compression screw not exceeding four may be used in connection with a single idler or strippmg screw without departing from the genus of my invention which resides in the road dea of an idler or stripping screw so arranged relatively with the compression screw or screws as to prevent the snow conveyed to the compresslon chamber or chamclaim as new and. desire to secure by Letters I Havingdcscribed the construction and operation of my improved machine what I Patent is:

1. In a snow coinpressin machine,a compression chamber into whic 1 the snow is conveyed and compressed; a compressing screw for conveying and compressing the snow;

means for retarding the snow during com pression; an idler or stripping screw meshing with the compressing screw, and means for rotating the compressing screw and the idler or stripping screw in reverse directions, 'Whereby the snow conveyed by the compressing screwis prevented from adhering to and rotating with said screw, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a snow compressing machine, two or more compression chambers; two or more screws for conveying snow fed from a ho per, into the compression chambers and compressing the same; means for retarding the snow under compression and idler screw meshing with the compression screws, and means for rotating the compression screws in one direction and the idler screw in an opposite direction, whereby the snow conveyed by the compression screws is pre 'vented from adhering thereto substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a machine such as described, in combination with means for propelling the machine, and'a hop er having conveying 4 screws therein, an inc ined scoop at the forwardend of the machine having its front end adjacent to the plane of a thoroughfare and its rear elevated end terminating in the hopper above the conveyer screws therein, whereby the forward travel of the machine will cause the snow in front of the scoo to be picked up and forced rearward and into the hopper and to the conveyer screws there'- in, as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a snow compressing machine such as described and embodylng snow compression chambers and compresslon screws, reslstance lugs located near the rear end of the comression chambers and consisting of a body aving a central well with a stem located therein; a coil spring surrounding the stem; a plate located-over the stem and screw threadedposts each side of the stem, and wing nuts located upon the threaded posts whereby the resistance offered by the lugs may be adjusted, substantially as and for the purp ose set forth.

5. In a machine such as described, spring 7. In a snow compressing machine such as described and embodying compression chambers; compresslon screws, and an idler or strlpping screw geared together, meansfor rotating said screws substantially as describe 8. In a snow com ressing machine such as described and invo ving twin compression chambers and twin compression screws, and an idler or stripping screw, the downwardly extended casing beneath the idler or strippingscrew to constitute a trough for the reception and exit of water eliminated from the snow, substantially as hereinbefore set forth. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

HENRY S. FARQUHAR. Witnesses:

D. G. STUART,

HANNAY. 

